MEXICAN MEATBALL SOUP (CALDO DE ALBÓNDIGAS)
This Mexican meatball soup recipe will warm you up on even the coldest winter days. Every spoonful is bursting with flavor and cozy feelings. This one-pot recipe is precisely what you’re looking for, and it’s absolutely delicious. It has a rich and tasty broth that I’m sure you’ll enjoy!
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Servings: to 10 servings
Calories: 227kcal
Ingredients
Broth:
- ⅓ teaspoon cumin
- 6 roma tomatoes (these are egg-like shapes) roasted
- 1 small onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic roasted
- 2 large potatoes peeled and sliced
- 2 large carrots peeled and sliced
- 1 large zucchini
- 2 small chayote
- 7 cups water
- fresh mint
Meatballs:
- ¼ cup white rice
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 small onion chopped
- 2 teaspoons salt I use sea salt
- 2 teaspoons oregano
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- ¼ cup chopped fresh mint
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
Let us begin with the broth:
- On a baking sheet, place the tomatoes and garlic cloves. Bake at 400 °F for about 15 minutes.
- Then, add the roasted tomatoes, garlic, onion, and 2 chipotle peppers in adobe sauce and water in a blender. Blend until smooth. Using a fine-mesh strainer, strain the mixture. This will make the broth clear and free of floaty particles.
- Add the tomato base, 6 cups of water, the beef or chicken bouillon, and the onion in a large pot and simmer over medium-high heat.
- Meanwhile, peel and cut the carrots, squash, and potatoes into bite-sized pieces, along with the rest of the vegetables. While doing this, I like to keep them in water to keep them looking fresh and to prevent the potatoes from turning brown.
- Add the potatoes and carrots to the boiling broth. These tend to take the longest time to cook. Set the rest of the veggies aside.
Prepare the meatballs:
- In a small saucepan, combine 1/2 cup white rice with 1 cup water. Simmer for about 5 minutes, then drain all the moisture. Set aside to cool.
- Add the ground beef, diced onion, egg, white rice, mint, and parsley in a large mixing bowl—season with salt, pepper, oregano, and garlic powder.
- Toss the mixture by hand, breaking up the meat with your fingertips until the ingredients are evenly combined.
- Using a cookie scoop, form the mixture into evenly-sized meatballs with wet hands. Keep a small bowl of water next to you as you roll the meatballs, and stop every few meatballs to wet your palms a little. Water prevents the meat mixture from sticking to your hands.
- Gently add the meatballs, one at a time, to the simmering soup. Allow to simmer for 15 minutes before adding the remaining vegetables and cooking for another 20 minutes or until all the vegetables are tender.
- Serve: Pour into a serving bowl and top with fresh parsley or mint. I also like avocado on the side. Enjoy!
Notes
TIPS TO MAKE THIS MEATBALL SOUP A SUCCESS:
- One of the most important steps is to make juicy but firm meatballs that won’t fall apart in the broth. It is essential to use binding ingredients that give texture, shape, and moistness. For this, I use white rice and egg.
- The process in which the meatballs are dropped into the broth is also essential in preventing them from falling apart. It’s critical to be gentle and take your time. I like using a large cooking spoon to slowly lower it into the hot broth.
- Another thing to keep in mind is that you don’t want the meatballs to have a tough texture, so avoid overmixing or tamping the meat when forming the meatballs.
- Use an ice cream scooper or a small cookie scoop to make uniformly sized-meatballs. This saves time while also ensuring that the meatballs cook evenly.
- It is much easier to roll meatballs if your hands are wet first.
- The soup can be prepared up to two days ahead of time.
- Remember that the beef and meatballs, as well as the vegetables, will absorb some of the broth, so you may need to add some water or vegetable broth (low sodium) when reheating the soup.
Nutrition
Calories: 227kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 87mg | Sodium: 670mg | Potassium: 562mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 3773IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 71mg | Iron: 2mg